Family Crest, ca. 1860’s
Media: Silk satin fabric, edged with silk cord, stitched to plain weave wool ground fabric.
Construction: Silk satin fabric, edged with silk cord, stitched to plain weave wool ground fabric. Brown velvet edges are a later addition. The hanging is lined.

Condition before treatment: This textile has undergone several previous restorations. The original silk fabric is shattered, with large areas missing. Many of the intact areas have been set down with animal glue. Several of the intact areas have been overlain with brown paper and cotton fabrics, set down with animal glue. The cording is loose in many areas. The lining is very weak. The textile is very dirty. The bottom of the textile is water damaged. The ground fabric retains strength.

Treatment: Paper and cotton restorations removed. Silk patterns traced onto Mylar. Small pieces of the original silk were taken to a fabric dyer, and new silk dyed to approximate the original colors as closely as possible. Working section by section, the cording was removed and new silk lain over the original silk. The cording was removed, new silk cut to shape and set down over original silk. The cording was then reapplied using methylcellulose adhesive, and dried under weight. After this treatment, the ground fabric could be vacuum cleaned. The lining was removed and replaced. At the owner’s request, the brown velvet edges were left in place.